Israeli Security Cabinet approves plan to take control of Gaza City

Israel's Security Cabinet has approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to take control of Gaza City, the Axios news site reported, citing a senior Israeli official.

"The security cabinet approved the prime minister's proposal to defeat Hamas. The IDF will prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones," Axios's Barak Ravid later said, citing the Prime Minister's Office as saying.

According to Ynet, the statement avoided using the word "occupation," opting instead for "takeover" to sidestep potential legal consequences concerning the civilian population.

In addition, the Security Cabinet approved five key principles for concluding the war: dismantling Hamas, securing the return of all hostages—both alive and deceased—demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, ensuring Israeli security control over the area, and establishing a civilian government not led by Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.

A clear majority of Cabinet ministers concluded that an alternative plan which was presented to the Security Cabinet would fail to achieve the defeat of Hamas or secure the return of the hostages.

According to KAN News, the meeting lasted about 10 hours.

Following the Cabinet's decision, a senior Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that the military would initially "target the terrorist strongholds in the city," with operations eventually expanding to include the central refugee camps.

The entire operation is expected to last at least six months.